This Privacy Policy explains how Joe Carta Realty (“we,” “us,” or “the Agency”) collects, uses, shares, and protects personal information when you visit our website at joecartarealty.com or joecar.com, contact us by phone, text, or email, submit an inquiry about a property, or otherwise engage with our real estate services. By using our services or communicating with us, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of information:

• Contact information: name, mailing address, email address, phone number.
• Financial and transaction information: income, credit history, pre-approval status, and other financial details you provide in connection with a purchase, sale, or rental application.
• Property information: addresses, preferences, budget, and details about properties you own, are selling, or are interested in buying or renting.
• Identification information: government-issued ID or Social Security number, where required for rental applications, background checks, or transaction documents.
• Communications: records of calls, emails, text messages, and other correspondence with our agents, including message content and timestamps.
• Website and technical data: IP address, browser type, device information, pages viewed, and cookie data collected through our website and any IDX/MLS listing search tools.
• Information from third parties: leads and inquiries referred to us by listing portals (e.g., Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin), MLS organizations, mortgage lenders, title companies, or referral partners.

2. How We Collect Information

• Directly from you, through our website forms, phone calls, text messages, email, in-person showings, and open house sign-in sheets.
• Automatically, through cookies and similar tracking technologies when you browse our website.
• From third parties, including affiliated brokerages, MLS databases, listing syndication sites, lenders, and background/credit check providers.

3. How We Use Your Information

• To identify and present properties that match your needs, and to respond to inquiries about listings.
• To prepare, process, and manage purchase agreements, listing agreements, rental applications, and related transaction documents.
• To communicate with you about showings, offers, closings, and other transaction updates — including by phone, email, and text message.
• To market our services, including sending newsletters, property alerts, and promotional messages, where you have opted in.
• To comply with legal, regulatory, and fair housing recordkeeping obligations.
• To maintain the security of our website and systems, and to prevent fraud.

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information for money. We may share information with:

• Our affiliated brokerage, agents, and administrative staff that are involved in your transaction.
• Multiple Listing Services (MLS) and listing syndication platforms, as required to list or search properties.
• Lenders, title and escrow companies, home inspectors, and other service providers involved in a transaction, with your consent or as needed to complete the transaction.
• Background and credit check providers, for rental or financing applications.
• Service providers who support our operations, such as CRM, email marketing, and website hosting platforms, under contracts that limit their use of your data to providing services to us.
• Government agencies or other parties, when required by law, subpoena, or to protect our legal rights.

5. Text Messaging (SMS/MMS) — Consent and Practices

As part of our services, we may send and receive text messages using our business phone number. We may send you text messages related to informational updates and promotions. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply.

This section explains how we handle text messaging and applies in addition to the rest of this Privacy Policy.

5.1 Types of messages we send

• Transactional/informational messages: confirming showings, appointment reminders, document requests, and updates about an active transaction you are part of.
• Marketing messages: new listing alerts, promotions, and newsletters — sent only to numbers that have opted in.

5.2 Consent

We only send marketing text messages to individuals who have provided prior express written consent, such as by:

• Checking an opt-in box on our website or a lead form;
• Texting a designated keyword (e.g., “JOIN”) to our business number;
• Providing verbal consent during a call or in-person meeting, which we log with the date, time, and method of consent.

Transactional or informational texts may be sent to clients we are actively working with in order to service an ongoing inquiry or transaction, consistent with applicable law. Consent to receive texts is never a condition of purchasing or using our real estate services.

5.3 Opt-out and help

You can opt out of text messages at any time by replying STOP to any message. You will receive a one-time confirmation that you have been unsubscribed, and no further messages will be sent unless you opt in again. Reply HELP to any message for assistance, or contact us using the information in Section 10 below.

5.4 Message frequency and fees

Message frequency varies depending on your interactions with us. Message and data rates may apply, depending on your mobile carrier and plan. We are not responsible for carrier charges.

5.5 What we do with your phone number and message content

• We use your phone number and message content to respond to your inquiries and provide our real estate services.
• We do not share your mobile phone number or opt-in status with third parties for their own marketing purposes.
• Text messages may be retained as part of our transaction and business records, consistent with our data retention practices (Section 7).

5.6 Supported carriers

Our text messaging program is supported on major U.S. wireless carriers. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.

6. Cookies and Website Tracking

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to remember your preferences, understand how visitors use our site (including IDX/MLS property search tools), and support advertising. You can control cookies through your browser settings; disabling cookies may limit some site functionality.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information as long as necessary to provide our services, complete a transaction, and comply with legal, tax, and real estate recordkeeping requirements (which in many states require retaining transaction records for several years). Text message and call records may be retained for the same purposes.

8. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your state of residence, you may have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you;
• Request correction of inaccurate information;
• Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal and contractual exceptions;
• Opt out of marketing communications, including text messages and email;
• Opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of personal information, where applicable under state law.

As of January 1, 2023, California residents have the following rights:

• L – Right to LIMIT the use and disclosure of sensitive personal information collected about them
  
• O – Right to OPT–OUT of the sale of their personal information and sharing of their personal information for cross–context behavioral advertising.
  
• C – Right to CORRECT inaccurate personal information that businesses have about them.
  
• K – Right to KNOW what personal information businesses have collected about them and how they use and share it.
  
• E – Right to EQUAL treatment. Businesses cannot discriminate against consumers for exercising their CCPA rights.
  
• D – Right to DELETE personal information businesses have collected from them (subject to some exceptions).

To exercise these rights, contact us using the information in Section 10 with the subject line “Do not sell/share my information” or other requests.

9. Children's Privacy

Our services are directed at adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of 18. If we learn we have collected such information, we will delete it.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your privacy rights, want to opt out of text messages or other communications, contact us at:

• Joe Carta Realty
• 4134 Adams Ave #101, San Diego CA 92116
• Phone: 619-280-1800
• Email: reception@joecartarealty.com

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Effective Date” at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. Material changes will be posted on this page or otherwise communicated to you as required by law.